During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was widely reported that Black patients were more likely than White patients to refuse vaccines, including those for influenza and COVID. However, a new study challenges this narrative, indicating that non-White patients showed less distrust towards vaccines compared to their White counterparts. This research will be presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) in Boston.
Dr. Albert Wu, the lead author of the study, stated: “We found some surprising results in our study, including that minority patients were less likely to show distrust about vaccines.” He emphasized the importance of identifying groups hesitant to vaccinate as essential for protecting immunocompromised individuals and others at risk in the community.
The study was conducted at an allergy clinic primarily serving Brooklyn, New York. The clinic caters to areas with below-average household income and low vaccination rates and serves mainly immigrant communities. Ethnicities included in the study were White (37.2%), Hispanic (31.6%), Asian (18.9%), and Black (12.1%). Of 338 new patients surveyed from March 2023 to February 2024, 39 people refused both influenza and COVID vaccines.
Mary Lee-Wong, MD, another principal author of the study and ACAAI member, noted: “We felt that a significant portion of vaccine-hesitant patients were influenced by a sense of distrust towards authority.” She highlighted that building trustful relationships with patients could significantly impact addressing vaccine hesitancy.
The ACAAI is a professional medical organization based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. It includes over 6,000 allergists-immunologists who work collaboratively on patient care, education, advocacy, and research.
